A/N: Sorry this chapter was so long in coming. I don't really have much more of an excuse other than I got lazy (I literally had this chapter drafted a month ago). Again, forewarning of set-up and not enough trolling this chapter. But it's a long chapter, so that makes up for it, I guess.

Chapter 2: Aftereffects

Zack woke up to pain. It wasn't that he was unused to pain, but he hadn't felt like this... in... well... he didn't know. Probably never. It wasn't a hung over pain, instead it seemed to claw all over his body like a deep ache. Memories of last night floated back. Ah, that was it, it must have been the pain of a rough fuck.

While the bite marks and scratches would probably heal in a days time, if not less, the ache in his lower back probably wouldn't abate until he downed a potion or two. But Zack didn't minded in the least. Last night had been rough and raw, something Zack hadn't expected to like. It had almost been more pleasurable than watching the new expressions on Sephiroth's face. The thought made Mr. Morning Wood twitch in earnest. Morning usually wasn't the place for sex, another rule of Seph's – something about improper timing – so Zack pushed down his desire and decided it was time to roll out of bed.

Zack sat up with a quiet hiss. He glanced over at the silver general. Normally they would have cuddled after sex, enjoying the afterglow and mutual warmth of each other's bodies, and then had some pillow talk as they drifted off to sleep. Usually they stayed firmly attached to each other, despite their ridiculous combined body heat, right up until early morning. But, Sephiroth was quietly breathing face down on the mattress, as if he hadn't even moved in the night, with not even a single arm looped around Zack's waist.

The little flare of disappointment in Zack's chest was smothered as he examined the oddity before him. His lover had the habit to wake hours before Zack did so seeing him asleep was a little unusual. It had happened once or twice when Seph was particularly exhausted after a long week, and Zack wondered if he should wake Seph up. Never before had actually gone about waking Sephiroth up, rather, it was that he never really had the opportunity to do so. Seph was always a super light sleeper, even when they were cuddling each other to death, and Zack didn't know if waking him up would leave him with a black eye. At least, another black eye.

Tentatively, the youth reached out a hand to brush his lover's arm. He recoiled immediately. Seph's skin, which was normally just a few notches above Zack's, was hot to the touch. Seph was burning up!

"Seph!" Zack rolled his lover over, not missing the way he groaned at the movement. Sephiroth looked a sickly pallor that made the teen's stomach do flips. "Seph! Can you hear me?" There was an answering groan, but nothing more. Zack knew he had to get his lover cooled; a cold bath was the best option he could think of."I'm going to move you, okay?"

Zack didn't want for any sort of confirmation, instead he heaved Sephiroth into his arms. As dainty and slim as Seph looked, he was still a wall of muscle – and a wall of long, deadweight muscle was particularly hard to carry. And he was hot. Seph was normally a mako reactor of warmth, but his skin felt like it should leave burn marks where they touched. Sephiroth groaned pitifully and Zack tried not to panic. Instead, he made his way to the bathroom, careful not to hit his lover's head on anything, and settled him into the simple tub. Zack turned the cold faucets on full blast.

Sephiroth hissed as the cold water hit his unprotected legs. Zack was pulling away the sweat-drenched hair from his face and hanging it over the side of the tub. Blearily, those eyes he loved so much opened.

"Zack?" Sephiroth sounded the most confused Zack had ever known him. Perhaps it was the way it was layered in with the obvious exhaustion in his voice or maybe it was the way his voice rasped. It sent a little spike of terror into his spine, even as a well of relief bubbled along side it.

"It's okay, Seph," Zack was relieved that his lover had woken up. He hadn't realized how terrified he had been at the prospect of him never waking up, his brain melting away, eyes closed forever. "We're in the bathroom and I'm gunna cool you down. I'll be right back." Zack dropped his head to place a kiss on his lover's forehead. He tried desperately to ignore the searing heat there.

Zack ignored the mess of uneaten pizza, unopened drinks, and unwatched movies and ran to the freezer. He was lucky there was still some ice left in the tray he filled last week. But there wasn't a lot. Considering his situation, he could take what he could get. He couldn't remember at all where Seph kept his materia stash and hadn't thought to bring any with him to pizza night; the ice would have to do. Zack all but slid into the bathroom with the ice cube tray.

In the tub, Sephiroth was shivering violently. His head was leaned over the side, face scrunched in obvious agony. Zack felt his heart clench. There was so much pain, so much vulnerability. Zack realized he never wanted to see Seph like this again – no, not see, but he never wanted Seph to have to feel anything remotely like whatever he was feeling now.

"I got ice cubes." Zack announced himself. His reward was Sephiroth looking at him. And those eyes were worried, tired, and maybe even... afraid. Zack settled himself next to Sephiroth, outside of the tube, and pulled an ice cube from the tray. "I'm just gunna help you cool down. 'Kay, Seph?"

When Zack pressed the icecube to Seph's chest, the man hissed and recoiled from the sensation. But tired and with nowhere to go but the butt of the tub, he seemed to endure it. Sephiroth's eyes remained firmly on his lover's. Zack would glance between his work, trying not to be alarmed at how quickly the ice was melting, and back into Seph's eyes.

"You're hurt." The words were slurred, just slightly, and Zack paused to share a wide-eyed looked with his lover. Of course Seph must have meant the love bites and probably that black eye he had, but they were practically nothing – especially not to a SOLDIER. But there, in those jade eyes of his, Zack could practically see a pile of confusion and worry just growing larger and larger, threatening to tumble like a pile of unwashed laundry.

Zack would fix it.

"You just got a little rough, remember?" Zack smiled, reaching for another cube. Something akin to horror flickered in Seph's eyes. It must have been related to his temperature and the thought of more ice. Zack tried not to let the sudden fear infect him too. "We have to cool you down." Zack's hand was just about to reach Seph's chest when a hand grasped his wrist. It felt like a band of molten lava had settled there. "Seph?"

"Call Angeal. Now."

"But - " Zack looked at the still-filling bathtub and the steam that was coming off of Sephiroth's body. "I need to cool you down."

"Don't argue." There was an emotion behind the bite of the order, one Zack didn't immediately recognize.

Zack wanted to argue, but he didn't. Something about Seph's tone bothered him, but, even fever stricken as he was – the general probably knew best. Besides, Angeal might have some materia on him and they could fix Seph up right quick! So, Zack smiled sheepishly and dropped the forgotten ice cube in the bath. Slinking away, with a bit of hesitation in his steps, he went into the bedroom. Once there, he went into overdrive searching for his pants; he found them, of course, in a crumbled pile near the closet and he couldn't remember how they got there. Rummaging through the pockets like a crazy, he pulled out his PHS – there was a weird crack on the side that he was sure hadn't been there yesterday, but that wasn't too important.

Dialing the familiar number, the teen hopped into his pants. He had to at least look a little bit decent for Angeal. He started to look for his shirt, but when all he found where shredded blue shreds of fabric he decided that pants were enough.

Angeal picked up.

"Zack? It's a little early for you to be up," his mentor chuckled. Hearing Angeal's voice was both relieving and irritating. Part of Zack wanted to be able to fix it on his own, but he didn't know what to do; nothing he had done had seemed to help.

"An-Angeal. Something's wrong with Seph." Zack clenched his teeth. He sounded absolutely terrified, like a small child, hoping beyond hope that Angeal would make things better. With a start, he realized that he was. Zack tried to quell that emotion, but it was bubbling up to the surface like a geyser; he swallowed it down.

The shift in his mentor's tone was immediate: worried, protective, and lined with steel. "What happened? Did he hurt you?"

"Nothing like that," Zack lifted a hand to push away sweat-soaked bangs. Something looked weird on it and he noticed that there were finger-shaped burn marks, left courtesy of his lover. He swallowed thickly. If Sephiroth could do something like that to his body, how hot must he be? He was in serious danger of dying. A lump of emotion welled in Zack's throat. All the worry he had tried to bite down just erupted out of him. "Seph was late. He-he said it was the labs. And he was acting different and – I don't know what's wrong, Angeal. But he's burning up. I don't know what to do."

"Hush, puppy." Zack felt the words comfort him, but they didn't abate the gnawing chill in his stomach. "You're still at Sephiroth's apartment?"

"Yeah." Zack nodded mutely into the phone.

"I'll be over in five. Do everything you can to keep him cool."

"Yes, sir."

The phone went silent and Zack felt himself stare at it for a moment. Angeal would be here soon. Everything would be alright. Absently he realized he was shaking, like a cadet on his first mission; Planet he didn't have time to waste being afraid.

Zack all but slid back into the bathroom, stumbling only once. It had felt hotter than Zack remembered it being. And it was to his horror he realized that the chill bathwater still filling the tub was now boiling.

"Seph!" Zack was at the man's side immediately. He picked up one ice cube, pressing it against his lover's neck . With horror he saw it melt in a matter of seconds. He picked up another. But Sephiroth didn't move. "Seph!" Another ice cube was down. "Can you hear me, Seph?"

Planet it was so hot. Zack could feel himself sweating from the intensity of it. Zack couldn't keep count of the number of ice cubes he used as they melted in his fingers. The bathroom was filled with Seph's body heat and steam. Soon there was nothing left in the tray and Zack just sat back on his haunches, watching Seph's contorted face as he desperately looked for something he could do to help.

He didn't have to wait long.

"Dear, Goddess." Zack's head swung around and he saw salvation in the pair of two generals standing at the door, while both Angeal and Genesis looked on in horror.

"'Geal. What should I do?" Zack's voice sounded small, even to himself and Angeal's eyes met his. If Zack weren't terrified out of his mind, he would wonder why Angeal was giving him such an assessing gaze. But that was beyond the point, Seph needed help.

"Go to the medical ward - "

"And get help?" Zack stumbled up to his feet. He could do that! Why didn't he think of that before?

"Send for a doctor and stay there."

Zack could have waited for a moment, tried to process things. But every moment that he hesitated could cost Spehiroth his life. "But..." the teen looked back to his unconscious lover. With growing horror he saw that the bath water was lower than it had been just a moment ago. When he met Genesis's and then Angeal's gaze, he had no words to argue.

"You can leave him with us, puppy," Genesis said quietly. "We know what to do."

Zack looked to Angeal, who nodded back.

"O-okay." Zack looked back to his lover again. He leaned over, hands hovering over those beautiful silver locks, and realized he was still shaking. He couldn't bring himself to touch his lover, or else he would never make it to medical. "Don't worry, Seph. Angeal and Genesis are here." The words didn't sound convincing at all, but they quelled a touch of doubt in his chest.

After stumbling away and out of the bathroom, sharing concerned looks with the generals, he took off at a run.

Zack didn't really remember the trip to the medical wing. He didn't remember if he saw anyone he knew, but all he did remember was the look of horror on the faces of the nurses as he threw himself in.

The nurse behind the front desk watched in horror as Zack flung himself at the desk. It was the emergency ward, specially assigned for SOLDIER injuries. It was a good thing the teen had known how to get there like the back of his hand, otherwise things would have gotten a little worse than panicky there.

"Um... may I help-?"

"The general," Zack panted. For some reason forming coherent sentences was a great challenge. "Sephiroth. Fever. Weird. Help."

The nurse's face went rigid and she poked around on the desk in sudden fervor, calling up someone on the phone. "We have a 01-15. Requesting immediate aid to..." she glanced back to Zack, who had finally got his breath.

"His apartment." Zack wondered what a oh-one dash whatever was, almost absently. But the thought flew out of his head as the nurse went back to giving instructions.

The woman then turned to him, assessing. "What is your name and rank?"

Zack found himself standing at attention, "Zackary Fair, SOLDIER Third Class, ma'am." As he relaxed from the reflexive introduction, he continued. "General Hewly told me to wait in the ward."

The nurse nodded once, and then turned to flick something into her keyboard with razor-sharp efficiency. When she glanced up at him again Zack held his breath. Part of him hoped the nurse would just send him back, regardless of Angeal's orders. He needed to be with Seph right now.

She only said, "Please take a seat over there. The doctor will arrive momentarily."

Zack furrowed his brow. "The general's doctor?"

"No, SOLDIER. The doctor for you."

Zack could only stare at her. Maybe if he stared at her long enough, he could understand what she was trying to accomplish. There was no way Zack needed a doctor when Sephiroth was laying in his bathtub, boiling water as they spoke.

"I really don't think you understand the situation. I don't need the doctor. The general does."

"Speaking slower won't change anything."

Zack was just about to reach over the desk and strangle her, but a soft ping distracted him. Another nurse appeared form a door, calling for him.

"Fair, the doctor will see you now." The man said dryly and unblinkingly. He looked like a man who wouldn't have any passion for the wounded. Those types always wigged Zack out, but that wasn't the point. The point was Seph needed a doctor stat.

These two nurses didn't seem to understand the situation at all. "But - " Zack tried again.

"It is imperative that you are examined, SOLDIER." The nurse at the stationed leveled Zack a glare. Her commanding tone made the teen flinch – almost. "Given your current state and the general's, there is a risk you share the same infection. Thus," she gestured to the nurse waiting at the door. "The doctor will see to you."

Zack obliged the nurse, even though he still wanted to shove reasons down her throat – it was pretty obvious she wasn't going to budge. And he couldn't exactly run back up to Angeal, that would be disobeying his orders after all. Stuck between orders and his desires, Zack followed the slim man down the hall, doing his best to keep disappointment from clawing out of his chest.

He was brought to a small examination room. After some disrobing into a stupid patient gown, the nurse did a short once over and promised the doctor would be in shortly. Zack glanced around the plain white walls and kicked his heels, trying his best not to lunge at the door and take off towards Seph. The nurses said they would handle it; he could ask the doctor if anything was up, too.

As if summoned by the thought, one Professor Hojo walked into the room. Almost instantly Zack felt himself pale.

Zack had never met Hojo in person. Mako injections were administered by a variety of doctors and scientists, but Zack was never enough of a priority for the guy apparently. All he knew about the doctor were horror stories. But, wait... wasn't Hojo Sephiroth's doctor? Shouldn't the guy be up at his apartment, with the guy who was literally boiling ice as they sat there? All the initial worry was slowly boiling into a rage.

"SOLDIER Fair," the professor looked at him almost boredom before he reached out and grabbed the bottom of the meager robe and lifted it to leave nothing to the imagination.

It was so sudden that Zack squeaked. Only intense training and boiling rage kept him from slamming his legs togetherand cracking those freakishly cold fingers with his muscles as the scientist continued to examine him. Seriously, how did hair get so oily? Why were his spectacles so thick? This guy was riduculous. And then – Hojo proceeded to spread Zack's legs.

"E-Excuse me!" Zack shimmied back on the table. "The hell are you doing!? … uh... sir." But Zack's legs were still open for Hojo's inspection.

The scientist didn't even seem phased by the movement, and reached for Zack's legs again without even looking up. "Fair, did you have sexual intercourse with Sephiroth?"

Zack's jaw clicked shut. All of the remarks boiling on his tongue stayed there. He couldn't tell if the flush on his cheeks was straight from rage or embarrassment. Seph was dying for all they knew and Hojo didn't even seem concerned at all! Here they were, talking about Zack's sex life, instead of helping the man who actually needed it. Besides, there was no way he was going to spill about their relationship with Hojo of all people. Seph had made quite clear his distaste for the scientist, the reason their relationship wasa kept so tightly underwraps was probably him in the first place.

Zack decided he wouldn't reply and simply shook off the offending – horribly cold – hand off his shin.

"SOLDIER," the biting voice held an edge of annoyance. It really shouldn't have sounded so terrifying. How Hojo did it was anyone's guess. "Answer me."

Zack huffed. Hojo was an asshole. He should die. Why wasn't he handling Sephiroth? Did he even care? Why was Zack even here? This was pointless! He should knock Hojo's teeth out. "Why should I?" It was childish, but it was the most civil thing he could get out.

Hojo raised his head to stare at Zack. Despite the thick glasses, Zack felt that piercing stare. It was like it was dissecting him alive. Eww. "If the general put sperm inside of you then there could be dangerous aftereffects. You might soon find yourself in the same state as the general, SOLDIER Fair."

"Uh..." a little pit of dread coiled up in Zack's stomach. Zack suddenly remembered how Sephiroth had decidedly not worn a condom last night, the first time he had ever done so. He had always thought it was just a strange paranoia, but if he passed whatever he had onto him. Zack didn't know what was worse: imagining the guilt Seph would feel or the thought that his brains would boil out of his head.

Hojo kept looking at him. Expectantly? Angrily? Were they both the same for the doctor? His face was so terrifying, how could such a small, frail-looking guy just be so creepy?

Zack nodded. He still couldn't bring himself to verbalize the situation.

"Did you have intercourse with the general?"

Zack nodded again.

"Did the general inseminate you?"

Zack hesitated briefly, but this guy was really weirding him out. What was with that phrasing? It sounded right? Zack just nodded again.

"Of course," the scientist said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, like he already knew and didn't even need a confirmation. Zack felt the rage boil over his confusion again. "I will proceed to examine you."

What proceeded was perhaps the most awkward medical exam of Zack's life. Hojo's creepiness level just made everything uncomfortable: he asked questions he already knew the answer to, didn't communicate what the hell he was doing, and poked and prodded Zack all over. Some places the teen recognized as the places where Seph had left little love bites last night, others he had no idea why the scientists was examining it so closely. Hours later, when the samples were taken and tests completed, Hojo finally backed away.

"You have a mild case of mako poisoning, nothing out of the ordinary." The way the scientist said it made it sound like that was disappointing.

"Wait... mako poisoning?" Zack tried to remember the symptoms of mild mako poisoning. Sever nausea, fever, hallucinations, and occasional fainting. As far as he could tell, he didn't have any of those symptoms. He checked the back of his neck with his hands (didn't feel particularly cold), he didn't feel chill, he didn't want to throw up – though he might just do it all over Hojo out of spite –, and he definitely wasn't tripping out of his mind.

Hojo snorted. "As I said, mild. Thanks to the SOLDIER treatment your body has already absorbed most of the mako. You likely burnt off most of it in your sleep." The way the professor clicked his tongue made it sound like that was a bad thing. Again. What was this guys problem?

Hojo was already turning and looked like he was making a beeline for the door.

"Are you going to check on Sephiroth?" The words came out more demanding than hopeful.

The scientist glanced back once before shaking his head with this weird ass frown on his face, like Zack was the biggest idiot he had ever met. "There is no need."

Zack ground his teeth and clenched the metal of the table until it bent. But Hojo paid no need as he disappeared from the room. It was probably a good thing because the Third was just about to throw the gunnery at him.

It was only when the nurse came to fetch him with a few hi-potions that Zack realized why Angeal had demanded him to stay at the ward. With all the goings on this morning, Zack hadn't really given himself a once over and he was a little bit shocked to see himself in the mirror.

All the little more than playful love bites he remembered getting were more like love chomps. He had a black eyes and bruises on his face, where he remember Sephiroth smashing their heads together in a kiss. There were horrible bruises on the places where Seph had held him down. They were all just superficial wounds, nothing a SOLDIER couldn't handle; they looked much worse than the felt. But they weren't really pretty to look at.

When he was finally deemed good to go, and allowed to take off that damn gown, Zack had learned nothing more about Sephiroth. So he ran back up to his lover's apartment. He tried not to pay attention to the cat calls from his fellow SOLDIER in his shirtless state, and expertly dodged around his good friends, and got to the Firsts' apartments. Zack opened the door with his card key and access code – it was the one that Seph made for him after he realized that Zack was going to break in with or without his consent.

What greeted him was nothing out of the ordinary. There were a few white coats lingering down the hall, going in and out of the bathroom and bedroom. And Angeal. The general noticed his student and left whatever conversation he was having with one of the doctors.

Zack jogged up to meet him halfway. "What's going on? How's Seph?"

"I told you to stay in the medical bay." Angeal was angry. It wasn't his usual stern reprimand, there was legitimate anger in his voice. The tone startled Zack a bit; Angeal was rarely angry. It must have been this whole situation, Planet knows that Zack was stressed out.

Zack felt like anything he would say was an excuse, but he spoke regardless. "They released me. No one would tell me what was happening. Is Seph okay?" The tried to lean around Angeal to get a better view of the goings on, but still couldn't see Sephiroth anywhere.

Angeal sighed. "Go back to your quarters."

"But, Angeal - "

"This is an order Zack." That leveled glare made the teen's stomach lurch painfully. What was going on?

How could Angeal order him away from Seph like this? He was worried to death here. Shouldn't Angeal be more concerned too? Didn't he even care? Somehow it felt like the world was being thrown in disarray all around Zack.

A familiar hand clamped down on his shoulder. Angeal's glare softened. "I'll call you in a few hours, puppy. Go home."

Something inside Zack wanted to tell Angeal that Seph's apartment was more his home than the mess that was his quarters, but he held his tongue and nodded. He could feel a childish insecurity welling inside of him. "Promise?"

"I promise. Now go."

Zack walked slowly to his quarters. He got more cajoling for wandering around shirtless, and he managed to cajole right back. No one seemed to notice his heart wasn't in it.